


Shot through the heart (and you're to blame)

by kat_fanfic



Series: Malec One Shots [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Good Boyfriend Alec Lightwood, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Post-Episode: s03e10 Erchomai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-09 00:41:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15255606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kat_fanfic/pseuds/kat_fanfic
Summary: Magnus had never felt so helpless in his life. Even watching Ragnor die - the memory of which still a deep, all-abiding ache in his soul - didn’t compare to what he was feeling now. Because Alec, his Alexander, was on the ground with a shattered arm and an arrow stuck deep in his chest, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.





	Shot through the heart (and you're to blame)

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, it's another Erchomai reaction fic, sorry. ;)

Magnus had never felt so helpless in his life. Even watching Ragnor die - the memory of which still a deep, all-abiding ache in his soul - didn’t compare to what he was feeling now. Because Alec, his Alexander, was on the ground with a shattered arm and an arrow stuck deep in his chest, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

The loss of his magic hit him like a physical blow. That empty space inside of himself where power had always sat threatened to suck him in, its edges torn and ragged and so damn raw, as if a vital part of him had been ripped away. It’d been a conscious choice to give it up, a choice he’d made willingly - and would make again.

 _Look what I have waiting for me._ The words echoed mockingly in his mind.

Alec’s breathing had eased with Jace’s activation of the iratze rune, the effect enhanced by the parabatai bond. But still his face was deathly pale in the dim moonlight, and his eyes held a hint of resignation that made Magnus’ throat grow tight with dread.

He crouched lower. He didn’t dare move Alec for fear of hurting him more, even though all he wanted was to hold him close, to anchor him in the here and now. „Hey, darling“, he murmured, pushing back dark strands of hair from Alec’s forehead with shaking fingers. „You’re not doing so well, huh?“

Alec blessed him with a crooked smile. „Tis but a scratch“, he forced out, voice rough. His hand had found the one Magnus wasn’t currently using to grip his neck and he was holding on to him as if it was the only thing that mattered.

Magnus forced a smile onto his face. „I knew I shouldn’t have introduced you to Monty Python.“

„’m glad you did.“ There was barely air behind Alec’s words and his grip on Magnus’ hand got weaker. „’s funny.“

Eyes burning, Magnus pressed a soft kiss between Alec’s eyes. „I’m going to get help, okay?“ he murmured against the clammy skin. „Somebody’s bound to be around-“

„No“, Alec gasped, grappling to keep a hold of him. „Don’t.“ He sucked in a breath that rattled in his chest. 

„Alec.“ Magnus’ eyes burned. Mere minutes ago, they would have glowed bright, his warlock mark out on display. But the mark had vanished along with his magic, and the only thing that made his eyes burn now were tears.

Alec’s mouth opened and closed, no sound coming out. He squeezed his eyes shut, breathed in more shallowly than before, and when his hazels openened again, there was a new determination in them. „Stamina“, he gasped.

Magnus frowned. „Your rune?“

Alec inclined his head. „Help me... activate...it.“

It made sense, and Magnus kicked himself for not thinking of it. He found the stele Alec had let go off earlier and closed his boyfriend’s fingers around the blessed metal. He didn’t have to check where this particular rune was, knew the place where the scar was burned onto Alexander’s skin intimately.

Together, they traced the intricate rune, making it glow bright against the backdrop of white skin and droplets of dark-red blood.

Instantly, Alec perked up, strenght returning to his lax muscles.

„Yeah“, he murmured, „okay.“ His hand trembled when he lifted it, but he did it on his own. „The rune’ll fade fast, so we gotta be quick.“ He paused, one side of his mouth pulling up into a half-smirk. „That’s not something you thought you’d ever hear me say outside of bed, huh?“

Magnus sputtered, heartache and fear translated into a choked-off laugh. „Really, Alexander“, he admonished, „do try to appreciate the gravity of the moment.“

„I appreciate _you_.“ Alec was dead serious. „I love you.“

Magnus swallowed hard, the lump in his throat having grown with each word. „I love you too.“

Alec nodded, as if he hadn’t already know and had needed the confirmation. „You have to pull out the arrow“, he said then, sounding very calm, even as that awful rattling sound in his chest started again.

Magnus reeled back, denial quick on his tongue, but he bit it back with tremendous effort. His heart thumped against his ribcage. „The iratze can’t heal you with it still inside.“

He knew Alec was right, he could practically feel the rune’s effect dwindling. It was the only way, and still the very thought made him feel sick to his stomach. Because he had healed many wounds in his long life, a large part of them grislier than Alec’s. 

But for hardly any of them had he ever needed to lay an actual hand on the patient. And this was _Alec_ , and he had no idea if the arrow wasn’t the only thing keeping him from bleeding out and what if the healing rune wasn’t enough? 

He looked around, desperately hoping that Jace had come back, or Clary, or anyone really that would take this responsibility from him.

Alec was watching him, gaze sharp despite the deep lines pain and exhaustion had carved into his face. „Magnus.“

Their eyes met.

„It’s alright.“ There was no censure in Alec’s tone, only matter-of-fact acceptance. „I can do it myself, just help me get a good grip on it-“

Magnus shook himself. „Absolutely not! I may not be much help without my magic, but I can still do this.“

Alec frowned, was about to say something, but Magnus didn’t let him speak. He grabbed the arrow’s shaft with both hands, holding it tight. The slight movement made Alec grimace in pain, and he almost let go on reflex.

„Do it“, Alec groaned.

He pulled, Alec screamed, and the world exploded.

For a split second, Magnus thought his magic had come back, thought that him having to do this had made him lose control. It was only when the debris started to rain on them that he realized that something up in the highrise had gone terribly wrong.

Without thinking he threw himself over Alec’s prone form, trying to shield him from the worst of the chunks of glass and stone with his own body. He cradled Alec’s head and pressed their faces together, murmuring „I love you“ over and over again, wanting it to be the last thing Alec heard him say if these were to be their last moments in life. 

It was only when the expected pain didn’t come that Magnus realized that something was different. He pressed a soft kiss to Alec’s lips - breathing, he was still breathing - and sat up.

To his utter surprise, a magical shield was keeping the debris from hitting them, powered by none other than Lorenzo Rey. The pompous fuck didn’t even look like he was paying much attention to what he was doing. 

Lorenzo’s dark eyes were scrutinizing him and then he began to smirk. „The great Magnus Bane“, he sneered, „helpless as a Drevak demon on its first search. What happened to you? Burnt out trying to save your precious boytoy?“

Magnus bit back an acidic reply. „Something like that“, he ground out instead. „Thanks for the assist. Though I have to say, I’m surprised you came at all, given your earlier decision.“

Lorenzo pulled a face. „Someone named Underhill called me, made a big stink about it being my duty as High Warlock of Brooklyn to come to the aid of the Head of the New York Institute.“ Lorenzo looked disgusted, even as he sent a pulse of healing magic towards Alec. It was almost an afterthought and the casual demonstration of power made Magnus swallow hard. „Good thing I did. Looks like he’ll actually make it now.“

„Yes, thank you“, a new voice said, and suddenly, Izzy was there, with Luke right beside her. Magnus slumped in relief. „The Institute owes you a debt of gratiture. I’m sure my brother will bring your willingness to help to the Clave’s attention.“

Rey inclined his head. „See that he does. Well then, I feel like I have done my part. I assume you have everything under control here?“ His eyes lingered on the bedraggled group of mundanes that followed Luke around like a litter of puppies. 

Isabelle pulled a face that only vaguely resembled her usual smile. „Yes, Warlock Rey. Everything is fully under Shadowhunter control.“

She was talking out of her ass, Magnus was sure. Lorenzo seemed to think so too, but he just snorted derisively and opened a portal. 

Magnus had a split second to feel envious, but then Alec began to stir under his hands. „Ma’nus?“

And just like that, Magnus forgot all about Lorenzo Rey. 

„Hey“, he murmured, „I’m right here.“ He checked Alec’s chest, pushed away the blood-soaked fabric of his shirt. The wound had stopped bleeding and looked halway healed already. 

Another iratze activation or two, and Alec would be just fine.

He’d be fine.

It hit Magnus then, suddenly, with all the force of a collapsing portal. He had lost his magic, had given it up to spare his Alexander the pain of having to kill his parabatai in their fight to get rid of Lillith, and in direct consequence, he, Magnus, had almost lost the one thing he’d so desperately had wanted to protect.

Before he knew it, hot tears were spilling down his face, and his hands clenched around the black fabric. He bowed his head, tried to hide the treacherous wetness from view, even as heaving sobs clawed their way out of him and he knew that there was no way he wasn’t going to make a spectactle of himself.

Alec moved suddenly, groaning, and then his good arm wrapped around him, pulling him in and close, giving Magnus a place to hide his face in the crook of his neck. „I’m so sorry“, Magnus heard him murmur through the anxious hammering of his heart. „I’m sorry, Magnus, for everything. We’ll get your magic back, okay? I swear, I’ll do anything...“ Alec’s voice broke and his warm lips found Magnus’ temple.

Magnus pulled back just enough to be able to see Alec’s concerned face. „I only need you.“ It was the truth, pure and simple. 

Alec nodded. „You have me, Magnus. Of course you do.“

Magnus sniffed, but it was Alec’s fingertip that wiped away the tears from his cheeks. „You alright?“ he murmured softly, and Magnus nodded. Already he could see that Mr. Lightwood, Head of the Institute, vied for his boyfriend’s attention. Alec pressed one last kiss to Magnus’ lips, and then he heaved himself up. His arm still dangled uselessly at his side, but other than that and the blood-soaked shirt, he seemed alright.

Alec was looking around, taking in the small group that had gathered around them. „Where’s Jace?“

Isabelle swallowed hard. „He’s up there, with Clary and Simon - and Lillith.“

Alec frowned, and he glanced up to where a huge hole had been blown into the highrise. „Alright. We have to take care of the mundanes first, then we can go look for them. Luke, can you get them out of here?“ 

Luke nodded.„My car’s around here somewhere, and so is Ollie’s.“

Alec rubbed a hand over his face. He looked exhausted. „They need to go to the Institute, and make sure they are all checked over.“

„I’ll take care of it.“

„Thanks, Luke. Izzy, you’re on demon watch. Anything nasty comes out of there,“ he pointed to the front entrance of the highrise, „I want you to evaporate it.“

Izzy’s grin was shark-like as she let her whip snap. „No problem, big brother.“

Magnus let the relative normalcy of the situation wash over him. This, he knew. Alec in boss-mode was familiar territory, and at least for a little while, he could pretend that everything was business as usual. 

That illusion shattered the moment Alec addressed him with: „Magnus, you’re with me.“

Magnus frowned. „Alexander, even without my magic, I am quite capable of looking after myself...“

Alec gave him a _face_. „Which is exactly why I want you with me when I go up there to get my parabatai.“

Magnus deflated. „Oh“, he mumured.

„Yeah, oh.“ Alec was smiling at him now. „So you coming?“

Magnus took a deep breath. „Yeah“, he said, squaring his shoulders. Magic or no magic, as long as he and Alexander were together, they’d face whatever life threw at them. „I’m right here.“


End file.
